The sudden development in the sky caused everyone in the arena to pause, their eyes fixed on the slowly emerging elderly figure. Those who were well-informed immediately noticed a shift in their expressions. "Sea Old Man? He... he's actually stepped in?" Axing Tian exclaimed, visibly stunned. Fama also looked equally surprised. He hadn't expected Sea Bo Dong to risk a confrontation with Yunlan Sect to come to their aid. The two exchanged glances, both sensing something unusual—after all, Sea Bo Dong's nature wasn't one that typically drove him to act so boldly and impulsively. "It seems that Xiao Yan has truly made a strong appeal to Sea Old Man, compelling him even to intervene against Yunlan Sect. This young man is increasingly fascinating to me. Jia Xingtian shook his head, his voice clearly filled with genuine astonishment. He was extremely familiar with Hai Bodo's temperament; if it weren't for some compelling interest that could truly move him, this usually stoic, ice-cold man would never have done such a thing. Yet... what kind of magic could a young man under twenty possess that could so profoundly influence a Duke-level warrior? Fama nodded slightly, his gaze drifting toward the sky, and murmured, "Now we'll just have to see what unfolds next. Ah, what a constantly shifting situation this truly is." Observing Hai Bo Dong's demeanor, it was clear he was firmly aligned with Xiao Yan. Now, if Yunlan Sect wished to move easily against Xiao Yan, they would have to carefully weigh their options—misjudging this could very well spark a grand, decisive confrontation. Among those present, only a few knew Hai Bo Dong personally; most Yunlan Sect disciples had little recollection of this formidable figure who had remained anonymous for over four decades. When they saw this unassuming elder effortlessly shatter the energy barrier jointly erected by three senior elders, their faces instantly expressed profound astonishment. In the sky, the three senior elders who had retreated like lightning steadied themselves with a flutter of their wings, lifting their gaze to the elderly figure standing beside Xiao Yan. Their faces grew solemn as they carefully scanned the figure of Haibo Dong. After a while, the eldest of the three, as though suddenly remembering something, suddenly turned pale and exclaimed, "Haibo Dong? The Ice Emperor Haibo Dong? You're still alive?" Upon hearing his words, the other two elders also recalled the name that had once reverberated across the Jia Ma Empire. Their expressions changed instantly, and their powerful qi flowed naturally within them, stirring with renewed alertness. Though they were of the same generation as Haibo Dong, at that time Haibo Dong had already emerged as a towering figure in the Jia Ma Empire, while they themselves had merely been junior staff members of Yunlan Sect. Thus, upon seeing him appear, they immediately felt a sense of vigilance. Gazed at the three for a moment, Hai Bo Dong turned to Xiao Yan and asked, "Are you all right?" "If you don't move soon, you'll definitely have problems," Xiao Yan said, lifting the massive Xuanzhong Chi-Staff in his hands with a wry smile. "Ah, today's going to be a hassle... I can't possibly hold them off by myself," Hai Bo Dong murmured. "Just avoid a direct fight with them. As long as we can get out of here, that will be enough," Xiao Yan said, his gaze slowly sweeping the surroundings. Yet his expression grew serious as he noticed—while the three had been engaged with him, nearly a hundred cloud-clad disciples of the Yunlan Sect had appeared on the great trees around, most of them in their mid-to-late twenties. Their attire differed slightly from that of ordinary students, and the potent aura radiating from their bodies clearly indicated that their strength was no less than his own. "I'm not worried about getting out of here," he added, "but taking you along is a bit of a challenge. The opponents aren't exactly easy to beat. Fortunately, Yun Yun isn't here—otherwise, we'd be completely stuck." Hai Bode's gaze swept casually around, his words tinged with a touch of relief. "Then I'll rely on Hai Elder." Xiao Yan nodded, offering a wry smile. "We'll do our best..." Hai Bode's face didn't light up much. Facing off against so many top-tier Cloud and Rain Sect masters with only his own strength—despite being a Duke-level cultivator, he wouldn't have been able to hold up much. "Heh, this is merely the Master's trust in my old bones," Yun Ling smiled, then settled his gaze seriously on Hai Bo Dong, saying, "Let's save the small talk for later. You must know our reason for wanting to keep Xiao Yan here—this matters deeply to the reputation of our Yunlan Sect. Therefore, I hope you won't act impulsively, so as not to harm the relationship between Yunlan Sect and the Mitel family." "Heard this, Yun Ling's brows immediately furrowed, and in a serious tone said, 'Hai Bo Dong, you know this is absolutely impossible. Mo Cheng, as a member of our Yunlan Sect, has made outstanding contributions over the years—everyone can bear witness. Such a valued contributor, if he dies without any clear cause and we remain passive, how can we expect our disciples to feel at ease?' 'Ah, I also have my own difficulties...' Hai Bo Dong sighed and shook his head. Yun Ling's demeanor clearly indicated that simply with a few words he would be able to persuade the others to leave—this was simply not feasible. So, without further delay, he glanced around, then suddenly grasped Xiao Yan firmly. Yet before he could take any action, Yun Ling, who had been intently watching him, sharply commanded, 'Yun Li, you three—hold him! Sect officers of Yunlan Sect, take your positions and form the Yunlan Mist Array!' " As soon as Yun Ling's roar had faded, the three elders in the sky moved simultaneously, forming a half-circular arc that firmly locked down Hai Bo Dong. At the same time, the nearly one hundred Cloud Lake Sect officials stationed on the great tree outside the plaza roared in unison, their powerful qi surging forth from within, forming cascading streams of white mist-like energy that erupted from their palms like waterfalls. These mist-like energy streams intertwined and rapidly spread, and within just a moment, they coalesced into a bowl-shaped energy shield that perfectly enveloped the entire plaza. "Damn it, that shell is tough!" muttered Hai Bo Dong as he prepared to launch another attack on the energy shield. Yet, behind him, three powerful streams of qi surged forth, weaving through the air and gradually merging into one another. As they fused, their combined force intensified dramatically, forcing Hai Bo Dong to turn around, raise his hand, and swiftly summon a solid, icy mirror surface before him to deflect the onslaught. "Step back and stay alert," he commanded firmly, using a precise motion to send Xiao Yan safely out of the combat zone. "Give me ten minutes!" As Xiao Yan was cleared, Hai Bo Dong's expression grew steadily colder. Cold qi surged from within him, instantly freezing the moisture in the surrounding air into countless rigid ice particles. With each flick of his hand, a torrent of these ice shards roared past, crashing down with force against the three Cloud Ridge Sect elders. For this former Ice Sovereign, the three elders dared not show the slightest underestimation. Their inner qi surged simultaneously, three distinct elemental qi streams merging seamlessly to form an unbreakable defensive barrier. High above, Sea Wave Dong moved with swift flashes, carrying an intense cold, launching relentless waves of attacks against the three elders. Though the elders could combine their qi to withstand the assault, they still kept retreating under Dong's vigorous attacks. Had it not been for their seamless coordination, one of them would have already fallen. Above, beneath the white energy shield, the wind howled constantly, and the sounds of energy impacts and explosions rang continuously—so fierce and dynamic was the battle that every disciple of Yunlan Sect below stood in awe. Gazing at Hai Bo Dong, who was pressing the three elders back one by one, Yun Ling glanced again at Xiao Yan hovering at another spot in the sky, and couldn't help but let out a cold laugh. Her shoulders trembled slightly, and her pair of aura wings gradually shot out. As her wings vibrated, Yun Ling rose swiftly into the air under everyone's watchful eyes, then surged straight toward Xiao Yan. Hearing the rushing wind below, Xiao Yan quickly lowered his head, his face suddenly paling. With a flick of his wings behind him, he hurried to retreat. "Hmph. You want to escape? It doesn't matter why Hai Bo Dong is protecting you—once I've secured you, I'm certain he won't dare to do anything more." Watching Xiao Yan retreat, Yun Ling murmured a cold chuckle, lightly tapping the space with her foot, accelerating once again. In the blink of an eye, she closed the distance and approached Xiao Yan closely. Seeing Yun Ling approaching, Xiao Yan promptly raised his wings and began to flee. Above the sky, two figures were pursuing one another—one chasing, one fleeing. Yet the figure behind was rapidly closing the gap between them, and at a certain moment, finally entering striking range. Yun Ling suddenly planted her foot firmly into the void, her form transforming into a streak of ethereal lightning. When she reappeared, she had already blocked the path ahead of Xiao Yan, her body thrust forward, her dry, claw-like hands—resembling those of an eagle—sending out a fierce, sharp surge of energy that stung Xiao Yan’s skin, aiming directly for his neck. At a distance, Hai Bo Dong also noticed the situation unfolding here, his face instantly pale as he rushed to intervene. Yet the three Cloud Lan Sect elders now seemed utterly frenzied, braving the risk of serious injuries, desperately unleashing a coordinated combat technique to staunchly delay Hai Bo Dong, leaving him with no room for even the slightest movement. The entire arena's attention was now fixed upon Xiao Yan and Yun Ling, who stood at the center. Should Xiao Yan fall, the battle would effectively come to a standstill. "It seems it's all coming to an end," Jia Xingtian mused, running a hand over his lips in quiet resignation. "Hai Bo Dong, by himself, will find it difficult to successfully remove Xiao Yan from the Cloud Lan Sect." Just as Fang Ma nodded and prepared to speak, his expression suddenly shifted, his gaze sharply turning toward Xiao Yan's direction, "Wait—what's that?!" A new development erupted suddenly at the very heart of the battle.